Convertible animal toy

Abstract

A walking animal toy is capable of moving forward and backwards as well as turn. The toy is meant for riding by a child. Four legs of the toy can be replaced by four wheels, so that the walking toy can become a car that looks like the animal. The toy includes a battery-powered motor drive and speed reduction which rotates a rear shaft having eccentric projections at its ends. A drive shaft is driven by the rear shaft which, in turn, rotates a front shaft connected to universal joints and similar eccentrical projections. A turning mechanism is connected to the front shaft and a handle is provided for steering the turning mechanism. The head, legs or wheels, and tail of the animal are detachable and can be reassembled by the child.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A convertible animal toy, comprising: a toy body;   a front shaft having opposite ends and a rear shaft having opposite ends, said front and rear shafts being spaced from each other and mounted for rotation to said toy body;   a universal joint connected to each end of said front shaft and on opposite sides of said toy body;   a first pair of eccentric projections connected respectively to said universal joints, said first pair of eccentric projections being in phase opposition to each other;   a second pair of eccentric projections connected respectively to said opposite ends of said rear shaft on opposite sides of said toy body, said second pair of eccentric projections being in phase opposition to each other, eccentric projections from said first and second pair of eccentric projections on each side of said toy body being in phase opposition to each other;   reduction gear drive means mounted to said toy body and operatively connected to said rear shaft for rotating said rear shaft;   a bevel gear connected to each of said front and rear shafts;   a bevel gear shaft having bevel gears engaged with said bevel gears of said front and rear shafts for transferring rotation of said rear shaft to said front shaft over said bevel gear shaft;   a moving medium connected to each of said eccentric projections for movement by rotation of said front and rear shafts to move said toy body;   a turning support mounted for pivotal movement to each side of said toy body adjacent said front shaft, each of said first pair of eccentric projections being engaged for rotation in one of said turning supports for steering of said first pair of eccentric projections with pivoting of said turning supports;   a sliding piece mounted for sliding movement to said toy body adjacent said front shaft;   a connecting piece connected between each turning support and said sliding piece for pivoting each turning support with sliding of said slide piece to steer said first pair of eccentric projections; and   a turning medium operatively engaged with said sliding piece for sliding said sliding piece to steer said first pair of eccentric projections.   
     
     
       2. A convertible animal toy according to claim 1, wherein said moving medium each comprises a leg-like piece engaged with one of said eccentric projections for executing walking movement with rotation of said eccentric projection. 
     
     
       3. A convertible animal toy according to claim 1, wherein said moving medium each comprises a wheel connected to one of said eccentric projections for rotation with rotation of said eccentric projection. 
     
     
       4. A convertible animal toy according to claim 2, including a recess at a lower end of each of said leg-like pieces, a spring in each recess and a wheel engaged by each spring and mounted for rotation in said recess of said leg-like piece for retraction of said wheel against said spring to be totally received in said recess when weight larger than a selected amount is placed on said toy body. 
     
     
       5. A convertible animal toy, comprising: a toy body;   a front shaft having opposite ends and a rear shaft having opposite ends, said front and rear shafts being spaced from each other and mounted for rotation to said toy body;   a universal joint connected to each end of said front shaft and on opposite sides of said toy body;   a first pair of eccentric projections connected respectively to said universal joints, said first pair of eccentric projections being in phase opposition to each other;   a second pair of eccentric projections connected respectively to said opposite ends of said rear shaft on opposite sides of said toy body, said second pair of eccentric projections being in phase opposition to each other, eccentric projections from said first and second pair of eccentric projections on each side of said toy body being in phase opposition to each other;   reduction gear drive means mounted to said toy body and operatively connected to said rear shaft for rotating said rear shaft;   a bevel gear connected to each of said front and rear shafts;   a bevel gear shaft having bevel gears engaged with said bevel gears of said front and rear shafts for transferring rotation of said rear shaft to said front shaft over said bevel gear shaft;   a set of moving media for connection to each of said eccentric projections for movement by rotation of said front and rear shafts to move said toy body, said sets including one set of four leg-like pieces each for engagement with one of said eccentric projections for executing walking movement with rotation of said eccentric projection, and a second set of four wheels each for connection to one of said eccentric projections for rotation, with rotation of said eccentric rotations; a turning support mounted for pivotal movement to each side of said toy body adjacent said front shaft, each of said first pair of eccentric projections being engaged for rotation in one of said turning supports for steering of said first pair of eccentric projections with pivoting of said turning supports sliding means mounted for sliding movement to said toy body; and connecting means connected between said sliding means and each turning support for pivoting each turning support.